This invention relates to penile erection systems for individuals with erectile dysfunction and more particularly to a novel prosthesis and method for stimulating an erection.
Erectile dysfunction is a well known but unfortunately common dilemma often due to organic problems that deleteriously affect the processes which cause an erection.
Attempts to overcome this disability have led to the development of prosthetic devices that are implanted in the penis to mimic an erectile condition. One known prosthetic device such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,996, comprises an elongated rigid or semi-rigid plastic material that permanently supports the penis in an erectile condition. This device, because it extends substantially the entire length of the penis can cause discomfort because it does not permit the penis to assume a flaccid condition.
Another known prosthetic device, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,829 includes a segmented prosthesis having generally rigid end sections joined by an intermediate expandable fluid receiving section. The intermediate section, during nonexpansion, is in a normally flaccid condition and thus allows the penis to assume a partially flaccid condition. When a predetermined amount of fluid is received in the intermediate section it expands to form an erectile continuation of the generally rigid end sections thereby establishing an overall erectile condition of the penis. This arrangement, can also be discomforting, since substantially the full extent of the penile body incorporates the implant.
Other known erectile devices such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,407,278, 4,224,934, 4,009,711, require implantation in the penis of a prosthetic device that is either inflatable, expandable or includes one or more rigid elements. In accordance with these arrangements an erection is accomplished by expanding the entire prosthetic device or a portion thereof in cooperation with other rigid or semi-rigid inclusions.
The permanent presence of an elongated prosthesis in the penis can be psychologically as well as physically discomforting and the prospect of such discomfort may discourage some individuals with erectile dysfunction from utilizing prosthetic surgery.
It is thus desirable to provide an erectile system and method which stimulates an actual erection of the penis without the need for prosthetic devices which mimic an erection. It is also desirable that such system and method during periods of nonuse permit the entire penis to remain in a normal flaccid condition.